Sensor element for a local luminaire area control system

Abstract

A sensor element for a luminaire local area (LLA) control system includes a receptacle connector, a lighting sensor connector, and an environmental sensor connector arranged in a connector stack coupled to each other and stacked on a light fixture. The receptacle connector includes power contacts for electrical connection with power wires for powering the light fixture. The lighting sensor connector is separate and discrete from the receptacle connector and includes a photocontrol component for sensing an ambient light exterior of the sensor element. The environmental sensor connector is separate and discrete from the lighting sensor connector and includes an environmental sensor component for sensing an environmental characteristic other than ambient light exterior of the sensor element for use by the LLA control system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor element for a local luminaire area (LLA) control system comprising:
 a receptacle connector including a receptacle connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to a light fixture and a receptacle connector mating interface opposite the base, the receptacle connector holding power contacts for electrical connection with power wires for powering the light fixture; 
 a lighting sensor connector separate and discrete from the receptacle connector, the lighting sensor connector including a lighting sensor connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the receptacle connector mating interface, the lighting sensor connector having a lighting sensor connector mating interface opposite the base, the lighting sensor connector having a photocontrol component for sensing an ambient light exterior of the sensor element for use by the LLA control system for controlling the light fixture; 
 an environmental sensor connector separate and discrete from the lighting sensor connector, the environmental sensor connector including an environmental sensor connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the lighting sensor connector mating interface, the environmental sensor connector having an environmental sensor component for sensing an environmental characteristic other than ambient light exterior of the sensor element for use by the LLA control system; and 
 a communication module operably coupled to at least one of the photocontrol component or the environmental sensor component to communicate sensor data from the corresponding photocontrol component or the environmental sensor component to at least one of a light fixture communication device in the light fixture or a remote communication device remote from the light fixture; 
 wherein the receptacle connector, the lighting sensor connector and the environmental sensor connector are arranged in a connector stack coupled to each other and stacked on the light fixture. 
 
     
     
       2. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle connector is a twist lock connector, the lighting sensor connector is a twist lock connector configured to be rotatably coupled to the receptacle connector, the environmental sensor connector is a twist lock connector configured to be rotatably coupled to the lighting sensor connector. 
     
     
       3. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting sensor connector includes power contacts electrically connected to the power contacts of the receptacle connector. 
     
     
       4. The LLA control system of  claim 3 , wherein the power contacts of the receptacle connector are twist lock power contacts and the power contacts of the lighting sensor connector are twist lock power contacts. 
     
     
       5. The LLA control system of  claim 3 , wherein the environmental sensor connector includes power contacts electrically connected to the power contacts of the lighting sensor connector. 
     
     
       6. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor connector is a first environmental sensor connector, the sensor element further comprising a second environmental sensor connector arranged in the connector stack between the lighting sensor connector and the first environmental sensor connector. 
     
     
       7. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured for contactless communication with the at least one of the light fixture communication device or the remote communication device. 
     
     
       8. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication module is contained in either the lighting sensor connector housing or the environmental sensor connector housing. 
     
     
       9. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor element further comprises a communication connector having a communication connector housing holding the communication module, the communication connector being coupled to at least one of the receptacle connector, the lighting sensor connector and the environmental sensor connector. 
     
     
       10. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle connector comprises signal contacts at the receptacle connector mating interface, the lighting sensor connector having signal contacts at the base electrically connected to the signal contacts of the receptacle connector. 
     
     
       11. The LLA control system of  claim 10 , wherein the environmental sensor connector comprises signal contacts at the base electrically connected to the signal contacts of the lighting sensor connector. 
     
     
       12. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle connector housing, the lighting sensor connector housing and the environmental sensor connector housing are cylindrical having substantially equal outer diameters. 
     
     
       13. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a receptacle connector seal at the base of the receptacle connector housing configured to seal to the light fixture, the lighting sensor connector includes a lighting sensor connector seal at the base of the lighting sensor connector housing configured to seal to the receptacle connector, the environmental sensor connector includes an environmental sensor connector seal at the base of the environmental sensor connector housing configured to seal to the lighting sensor connector. 
     
     
       14. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle connector includes a power management circuit coupled to the power contacts having a surge protection component and an overvoltage component. 
     
     
       15. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer housing having a cavity receiving the connector stack, the outer housing having a mating interface configured to be seated on the light fixture. 
     
     
       16. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a capping connector arranged at a top of the connector stack to cap and seal the connector stack. 
     
     
       17. The LLA control system of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor connector includes a second environmental sensor component sensing a different environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor element for use by the LLA control system. 
     
     
       18. A sensor element for a local luminaire area (LLA) control system comprising:
 a receptacle connector including a receptacle connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to a light fixture and a receptacle connector mating interface opposite the base, the receptacle connector holding power contacts for electrical connection with power wires for powering the light fixture, the power contacts being twist-lock power contacts; 
 a lighting sensor connector separate and discrete from the receptacle connector, the lighting sensor connector including a lighting sensor connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the receptacle connector mating interface, the lighting sensor connector having a lighting sensor connector mating interface opposite the base, the lighting sensor connector having a photocontrol component for sensing an ambient light exterior of the sensor element, the lighting sensor connector having twist-lock power contacts twist-lock coupled to the twist-lock power contacts of the receptacle connector for controlling the light fixture based on the sensed ambient light by the photocontrol component; and 
 an environmental sensor connector separate and discrete from the lighting sensor connector, the environmental sensor connector including an environmental sensor connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the lighting sensor connector mating interface, the environmental sensor connector having an environmental sensor component for sensing an environmental characteristic other than ambient light exterior of the sensor element and generating environmental sensor data relating to the sensed environmental characteristic; 
 wherein the receptacle connector, the lighting sensor connector and the environmental sensor connector are arranged in a connector stack coupled to each other and stacked on the light fixture, wherein the receptacle connector is a twist lock connector, the lighting sensor connector is a twist lock connector configured to be rotatably coupled to the receptacle connector, and the environmental sensor connector is a twist lock connector configured to be rotatably coupled to the lighting sensor connector. 
 
     
     
       19. The LLA control system of  claim 18 , further comprising a communication module operably coupled to at least one of the photocontrol component or the environmental sensor component to communicate sensor data from the corresponding photocontrol component or the environmental sensor component to at least one of a light fixture communication device in the light fixture or a remote communication device remote from the light fixture. 
     
     
       20. A sensor element for a local luminaire area (LLA) control system comprising:
 a receptacle connector including a receptacle connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to a light fixture and a receptacle connector mating interface opposite the base, the receptacle connector holding power contacts for electrical connection with power wires for powering the light fixture, the receptacle connector housing having mating contacts at the receptacle connector mating interface; 
 a sensor connector separate and discrete from the receptacle connector, the sensor connector including a sensor connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the receptacle connector mating interface, the sensor connector having a sensor connector mating interface opposite the base, the sensor connector having a sensor component for sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor connector, the sensor connector having lower contacts at the base being electrically coupled to the mating contacts of the receptacle connector, the sensor connector having upper contacts at the sensor connector mating interface; 
 a capping connector separate and discrete from the sensor connector, the capping connector having a capping connector housing having a base configured to be mounted to the sensor connector mating interface, the capping connector covering the sensor connector mating interface and the upper contacts; and 
 a communication module operably coupled to the sensor component to communicate sensor data from the sensor component to at least one of a light fixture communication device in the light fixture or a remote communication device remote from the light fixture; 
 wherein the receptacle connector, the sensor connector and the capping connector are arranged in a connector stack configured to be stacked on the light fixture.